Jennifer Crumbley's attorney apologizes for offensive comments made during trial

(CBS DETROIT) - The trial of Jennifer Crumbley, the mother of the Oxford High School shooter, continues Monday with the third day of testimony, and it began with an apology. 

Jennifer Crumbley's attorney, Shannon Smith, began the day apologizing for statements she had made during the trial on Friday. 

"Your honor, on Friday, I think it was very clear beyond reasonable doubt that I had difficulty and cannot use technology," Smith said. "In my frustration, I made a comment that was offensive to victims, victims' families, and I did it absolutely by accident as I was struggling with my computer."

"I am apologizing for that comment," Smith continued. "I want to apologize to the jurors, to the audience, to all involved, and specifically to the victims and the families of the victims. I truly did not mean to say the comment I made." 

The apology referred to Smith's comments while discussing the Facebook message list between Jennifer and James Crumbley in 2021. 

The messages need to be redacted, and Smith claimed she didn't have a copy, while the prosecution said they provided a digital copy on a thumb drive. 

As this discussion occurred, the prosecution addressed inappropriate comments Smith had made in court that day. 

When Oakland County Judge Cheryl Matthews asked Smith to fix a stack of tall papers before it fell over, Smith joked about how she shouldn't spend her weekend reorganizing paperwork but instead drinking a glass of wine and then commenting about drinking five bottles of wine. 

Smith then needed to show a piece of evidence that the prosecution had, and as she was frustrated about not having her evidence organized, she said, "I'm going to kill myself." 

Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald asked Matthews if things like that would not be said in court out of respect for the victims.

Smith responded by saying she was being respectful, and McDonald implied she wasn't and that her comment about killing herself wasn't meant in a way to offend the families. 

After the apology, Kira Pennock, a 27-year-old who owns and runs a horse farm and was friends with Jennifer Crumbley, began her testimony. 

Jennifer Crumbley is facing involuntary manslaughter charges in connection to the Oxford High School shooting on Nov. 30, 2021, where her son killed four students and injured seven other people.

Her son was sentenced to life in prison without parole in December. 

In:
• Oxford High School shooting
• Oxford High School
• Jennifer Crumbley